Take-up mechanism



Jan. 27, 1 959 R. E. ZERUNEITH" TAKE-UP MECHANISM Filed April 6, 1954 3Sheets-Sheet 1 44 L hi JNVEN TOR.

1959 R. E. ZERUNEITH 2,

TAKE-UP MECHANISM Filed April 6, 1954 s Sheets-Sheet 2 77/ 73 INVENTOR.

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1959 R. E. ZERUNEITH 2,

TAKE-UP MECHANISM Filed April 6, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. 5 UDOLPH E. ZEiFU/VE/Tl/ United States Patent TAKE-UP MECHANISM Rudolph E.Zeruneith, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application April 6, 1954, Serial No. 421,276

Claims. (01. 66-152) The present invention relates to the art ofknitting and more particularly to a fabric take-up mechanism for aknitting machine to uniformly feed or advance the fabric and touniformly apply tension to the fabric as it is produced by the knittingmachine.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a spring. drivenfabric takeup mechanism for a knitting machine wherein the mechanism hasa fabric take-up roll which is rotated bythe de-energization of anintermittently energized spring and in which the fabric takeup roll isheld against retrograde movement as the spring is energized. In such anarrangement the power of the spring is preferably applied to the rollthrough a roller type of one-way clutch while the'roll is preferablyheld against retrograde movement by a similar oneway clutch, with thespring being intermittently energized by power taken from the knittingmachine. Theroll may be driven by a spring urged circular rocker armencircling the roll and having uni-directional clutching meansinterposed between the rocker arm and the roll, while the roll may belocked against retrograde movement by a fixed check ring encircling theroll and having uni-directional clutching means interposed between thecheck ring and the roll, and the spring may be intermittently energizedby a reciprocating rod interposed betweenthe rocker arm and a powerdriven eccentric cam.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a springdriven fabric take-up mechanism for a knitting machine wherein themechanism has a pre-energized spring acting through a fabric take-uproll to continuously apply uniform tension to the fabric as it is madeby the machine and as it is advanced by the take-up mechanism andwherein the take-up roll is rotated to advance or feed the fabric by thede-energization of the spring which is intermittently further energizedfrom any suitable power source. Furthermore the pre-energization of thespring may be varied while the machine is in operation.

It is also an object to provide a fabric take-up mechanism for aknitting machine wherein the mechanism has an oscillatable member todrive a fabric take-.up, and wherein the length of the power stroke'ofsaid member is automatically variable depending upon the rate of fabricproduction by the machine and dependingupon the tension of the fabric.

It is also anobject to provide a take-up of the type set forth whereinthe take-up roll has a hand wheel fixedly associated therewith andwherein the take-up roll driving means is releasably connected to thehand wheel, whereby the driving means may drive the take-up roll throughthe hand wheel'or whereby the driving means may be disconnected from thehand wheel for manual rotation of the take-up roll in either direction.Rotation of the hand wheel in either direction will provide for tensionon the fabric and for withdrawal of the fabric from the take-up asmay-be necessary at times'during the nnaratinn of the machine.

2,870,618 Patented Jan. 27, 1959 With theseand other objects in view asmayappear in the specification, this invention consists in certain novelfeatures of construction, combination and arrangement of parts tobe-hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings in which like reference characters refer tolike parts:

Figure -1 is a perspective view of the new take-up in position on thebed plate of a circular knitting machine.

Figure 2 is a'view in elevation of the driving endof the take-up withthe hand-wheel removed.

Figure 3 is a view inelevation of theoppos'ite or driven end of thetake-up.

Figure 4 is aplan view of the take-up with the driving'and retrograde=c1utches shown in section on a plane passing through the axes of thetake-up rolls.

Figure "5 is an enlarged view in section taken generally on line" 55ofFigure 4 showing the pin and roller one-way driving clutch, andshowing themanner of supplying "power to the take-up from the'knitti ngmachine.

Figure "6is anend view'partially in'section of the power' take-off foractuating the take-up.

Figure 7 is an enlarged view in section taken" generally on'line 77ofFigure 4 showing the pin and roller one-way clutch to preventretrograde movement of the take-upv Figure 8* is a diagrammaticview'showingthe eccentric used to impart rapid actuations to thetake-up'drive spring.

The take-up mechanism of the'present invention may be referred to asa'spring driven take-upfor the reason that an intermittently loaded orenergized spring is used therein for the: take-up action. Whilesucha;spring driven take-up mayhave general applicatio-nupon anysheet-like material for the feeding and/or the tensioning thereof, thepresent take-up is preferably illustrateditdn connection with a circularknitting machineof the". type disclosed in my application Serial No.81,440, filed March 15, 1949 (on which Patent No. 2,705,410 issued .onApril 5, 1955), wherein it is to be used to feed. and to apply tensionto a continuously formed knitted fabric tube. It will be understood thatthepresent take-up maylbe used instead of the take-up shown on thatmachine. The construction of the machine need be described onlyas itrelates to the present invention and this will be'done as thespecification proceeds, particularly describing the manner of supplyingpower to the take-up from the. control shaft of the machine.

The spring take-up, indicated generally at 10 in Figure 1, is shown onthe upper side of a lower circularbed plate 11 of a circular knittingmachine,'in position to receive and to act upon tubular fabric 12 as it.istproduced by the machine. The take-up'ltl extendsgenerallv dimetrically of the bed plate 11 above a diametrically positioned opening13 in the bed plate through which the fabric is adapted to be fed .upon.leaving the take-up. Thefabriccomes into. contact with cylindricallyshaped rotatable take-up rolls 14, 15 and, 16, parallel to each otherand generally parallel to. the opening 13, which extend across the bed11 between spaced supporting brackets 17 and 18, the brackets beingsuitably secured to the bed 11 on opposite sides of said. opening 13.The rolls 14, 15. and 16 may be suitably knurled, or otherwise formed,to provide for frictional engagement with the fabric.

The. center roll 15, having axially extending trunnion shafts 19 and'Zt)extending through suitable. bearing apertures formed in the brackets 17and 13, is rotatably sure. on the fabric passing between .the rolls..The trunnion shaft 19. on. the ri ht hand side of the take-1m.

encirclingshouldered block engaging pins.

viewing Figure 4, extends beyond the bracket 17 to receive a drivingclutch, a retrograde clutch, and a hand wheel, while the shaft 20extends beyond the bracket 18 to receive a gear for driving the roll 14.

The driven roll 14, having-axially extending trunnion shafts 21 and 22extending through suitable bearing apertures formed in bracket-supportedslidable blocks 23 and 24, may be spring-urged toward the driving roll15 by tensioned springs 25 acting upon the blocks. The blocks 23 and 24of rectangular shape are movable lengthwise of the brackets in suitableU-shaped slots formed in their forward ends, Figure 4," the open slotends being covered by members 26 suitably secured to and forming a partof the said brackets. The springs 25, in suitable apertures extendingthrough the members 26, maybe adjustably compressed against the blocks23 and 24 by screws 27 threadedly engaged in the apertures, the springsThe trunnion shaft 22 on the left hand side of the roll 14, Figure 4,extends beyond the bracket 18 sufiiciently to have a gear 28 keyedthereon, the gear 28 meshing with a gear -29 keyed on trunnion shaft 20of the roll 15'whereby .the; roll 14 may be rotated by rotation of theroll 15.

The roll 16, having axially extending trunnion shafts .30 and 31 insuitable bearing apertures formed in supporting arms 32 and 33, is somounted that by moving the 'said supporting arms the roll 16 may bemoved toward and away from the center roll 15. When moved toward theroll15, the roll 16 is in active fabric feeding-position and when movedaway from the roll 15, the roll .16 is in idle position. The arms 32 and33, which support the trunnions and 31 in bearing apertures formed'atone corner of their generally triangular shape, are apertured atanadjacent corner to receive therein the opposite ends of a transverselyextending rod 35. Collars 34 secured on .therod 35 position the arms32and 33 adjacent the inner roll 16', in its active position of Figures 23 and 4; will be'spring urged toward the roll 15 by the spring urgedblocks 36 and 37 acting through the arms 32 and 33, and

in this position the roll 16, in contact with the fabric between itselfand the roll 15, will be rotated to guide the: fabric thereover towardthe opening 13 and will be the outer long faces of dog sides 41 comeinto movement limiting contact with the .UPper faces of the brackets 17and 18. again placed in active position by returning the dogs 37 and 38to their positions of Figures 2 and 3.

In order to rotate the roll 15 to take up and to tension the fabric 12,its extending trunnion shaft 19 is encircled by and is operativelyrelated to a pair of one-way roller clutches, one clutch beingintermittently active to turn said shaft 19 and roll 15to feed and totension the fabric while the second clutch acts to prevent retrogradetensioned-fabric-movement of the shaft 19 and roll 15 when the firstclutch is inactive. .The clutches are adapted to act upon the shaft 19through a hand wheel 45 suitably secured to the end of the shaft by keyways and key 46 and by set screw 47. The hand wheel is releasablysecured to a circular plate 48 (of approximately the diameter of thehand wheel) by means of a knurled headed screw 49 threadedly engaged inan aperture extending through the hand wheel; the end of the screw 49having a cylindrical pin 50 adapted to enter and snugly fit within oneof a series of spaced notches 51 formed in the outer peripheral face ofthe plate 48. The plate 48 is secured to an inner clutch member 52 onthe shaft 19 and rotatable in relation thereto, which inner clutchmember is'preferably of smaller outer diameter than the plate '48, by anumber of spaced screws 53; the plate 48 when the pin 50 is withdrawnfrom engagement with the plate 48. The inner clutch member 52 isprovided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinally extending V-sha'ped grooves 54 formed in its outer peripheral face, eachgroove being adapted to receive therein a pair of adjacently disposedaxially aligned rollers 55, each of which is spring-urged into contactwith encirclingouter clutch rings 58 and 61 by the individual pins 56backed by individual compression springs 57; the pins 56 and spring 57being seated in suitably angled 'apertures'formed in the inner clutchmember 52 beneath each roller 55, adjacent the bottoms of the grooves54. The series of rollers adjacent the bracket 17 are encircled by astationary outer clutch ring '58 whichis secured against rotation by afixed pin 59 extending from the bracket 17 into a snugly fitting slot 60in the outer periphery of the ring 58; the inner clutch member 52 havingrotational clearance within the ring 58. The rollers 55 fit snuglybetween the inner clutch member 52 and the stationary outer clutch ring58, the relationship being rotated to keep the fabric in contact withthe lower side of rotating roll 15. The arms 32 and 33 are maintained inthe positions of Figures 2, 3 and 4 in which the roll 16 is held inactive position, by means of L-shaped dogmembers 38 and 39 pivotallymounted on the arms 32 and 33 for contact with the upper surface of thebrackets 17 and 18. The dogs 38 and 39, having long sides 40 and shortsides 41 of generally rectangular shape, are rotatable about headed pins42 suitably secured adjacent to the third corners of the arms 32 and 33,the pins 42 passing through the dogs 38 and 39 at approximately theintersection of their sides. When the dogs 38 and 39 are in thepositionsillustrated, the end faces of sides 41 are in 'arm supporting contactwith the upper faces of brackets tact with the under surface of thebrackets 17 and 18 in the notches 44. When it is desired to lower roll16 to its inactive position, the dogs 38 and 39 are turned .90 degreesby raising their long sides 40 from the horizontal to the verticalwhereupon the roll 16 and the arms 32 and such that the inner clutchmember 52 may rotate in a in clockwise direction because the rollers 55will be urged toward and will jam between the longer ones of the slopingsurfaces of the V-shaped recesses or grooves 54 and the inner surface.of the stationary outer clutch tation is possible because in thatdirection the rollers 55 will not tend to jam since they are urgedtoward the spring-loadedplungers or pins 55. The series of rollers 55adjacent the plate 48 are encircled byan outer clutch ring 61 which 'inturn is encircled by a rocker-ring 62; the

I a set screw 63 or by any other suitable means.

ring 61 (which may be of harder material than the material of rocker 62)being secured to the rocker-ring 62 by The relationship of the rings 61and- 62 to the inner clutch memher 52 and the rollers 55 is the same asthat between the inner clutch ring 58, the memberj52 and the rollers 55(so it need not again be described) and it will permit the inner clutchmember 52 to be rotated in counterclock- 'wise direction by the rockerring 62(and the clutch ring 61)' when the rocker ring'62 is itselfrotated in counter? clockwise direction (Figure 5); the stationaryclutch ring It will be obvious that the roll 16 may be t '58 permittingsuch rotation of the member 52. When the which at this time will beretained against clockwise movement by the fixed or stationary clutchring 58.

The inner clutch member 52 and the outer stationary clutch-ring 58(together with the rollers 55 between them) constitute a stationaryunidirectional overrunning retaining clutch, to retain the rolleragainst the pull of the tensioned fabric 12 between it and theneedlebank. The inner clutch member 52. and the outer movableclutch-ring 61 and rocker-ring 62 (together with the -rollers55 betweenthem) constitute a unidirectional overrunning roller-advancing ortake-up clutch to tension the fabric 12.

The rocker 62 is adapted to be rapidly oscillated for relatively shortdistances by a reciprocating rod 64, one

end of which is positioned within a suitable aperture formed in a rockerarm 65 extending from one side of the rocker 62 and'by a precompressedspring'66, one end of which encircles a pin in a rocker-arm 67 extendingfrom the other side of the rocker 62. The rod 64, as it moves toward therocker 62, will turn the rocker 62 clockwise,

during which time the spring 66 will be further compressed so that whenthe rod 64 is free to move away from the rocker 62 the spring 66 willturn the rocker 62 counterclockwise. Each counterclockwise movement ofthe rocker 62 will be transmitted to the shaft 19 to turn the roll 15 totake up the fabric. During the time that the rod 64 turns the rockerclockwise, the retrograde turning effect of the tensioned fabric on theroll 15 and shaft 19 is counteracted by the action of the fixed ring 58on the member 52. The rod 64, having its other end slidably-mounted in aboss 68 secured to the bed 11 of the machine, is moved by an eccentric69 mounted off center in the end of a vertical rotating shaft 70,Figures 5 and '8. The eccentric 69, which may freely rotate on itsmounting pin 71, rotates with the shaft 70 within an aperture in theboss 68, the boss 68 having a bearing 72 in the aperture for the end ofthe shaft 70. The other end-of spring 66 encircles the free end of astud 73 suitably anchored, as by threaded engagement, at the proper'control shaft, herein designated as 75, Figures 5 and 6,

and also shown in my aforementioned Patent No. 2,705,410. Shown at 76,on the shaft 75, is the slidable Geneva wheel actuator used in themachine shown in my aforementioned patent to actuate the cylinderracking mechanism. The present control shaft 75, longer than the one ofsaid machine, is rotatably mounted in needle hearings in a new bracket77 adapted to be secured to the underside of the upper bed plate of themachine (not shown). Within the bracket 77 a worm gear 78, fixed to theend of the control shaft 75, is in engagement with a spiral gear 79fixed to the upper reduced end of the takeup shaft 70. The gear 78 issecured to the shaft 75 by a key 80 in suitably formed keyways and by alock nut 81 in threaded engagement with the end of the shaft 75 whilethe gear 79 is secured to the shaft 70 by suitable keyways and keys andby a lock nut 82. The upper end of the shaft 70 is preferably rotatablymounted in spaced bearing 83, suitably maintained within the bracket 77.The ratio between gears 78 and 79 is preferably such that the take-upshaft 70 rotates at approximately twice the speed of the control shaft75. This speed is desirable in order that the rocker 62 may beoscillated at such a rapid rate that its take-up action is practicallycontinuous de- 6 spite the in-Vbetween time outs 'for re-energizing thespring 66.

The one-way roller clutches of the type illustrated in the drawings willintermittently rotate the roll 15 and will lock it against retrogrademovement but it will be understood that any other type ofuni-directional clutch may be used in place of the illustrated clutcheswithout departing from the spirit of the present invention, andfurthermore it is not essential that both clutches be of the same type.

I In the operation of the take-up, an end of the fabric 12-is inserteddownwardly between the rolls 14 and 15 and up between the roll 15 andthe roll 16 in inactive position. The fabric is then pulled taut aroundthe underside of roll 15 whereupon roll 16 is moved to active position.A preliminary setting-of tension on the spring 66 is made by turning thenut 74. If there is any slack in the fabric between the take-up and theneedles, it may be removed by turning the hand wheel in acounterclockwise direction and this may be done when the machine isoperating or when it has stopped. Then upon starting the machine, withthe hand wheel 45 locked to plate 48 by the screw 49, the tension onspring 66 may be adjusted with nut 74 to provide for the proper runningtension desired on the fabric and for the proper rate of feed of thefabric. The control shaft 75 will turn the take-up shaft to rotate theeccentric 69 to reciprocate the rod 64. As the rod 64 moves to the left,Figure 5, it will angularly displace the rocker 62 clockwise relative tothe clutch member 52 which is locked against clockwise rotation.

The maximum movement of rod 64, Figure 8, takes place when the rod is incontact with eccentric 69 for a full rotation of the shaft 70, and thismaximum movement of the rod 64 is transmitted to rocker 62 only when therocker 62 is in contact with the rod 64 at the moment that rod 64reverses direction for movement to the left, Figure 5. It will be seenthat the rod 64 may serve as a limit stop for the counterclockwisemovement of rocker 62 but it will be understood that the rocker 62 doesnot always turn to its limit stop as when the tension already on thefabric is such that spring 66 does not rotate rocker 62 its full travelstroke. The length of driving stroke of rocker 62, with a pre-setcompression of spring 66, will vary with the tension already on thefabric and the length of the return stroke of rocker 62 will accordinglyvary even though the rod 64 continually has a full length driving stroketo turn rocker 62. Accordingly, rocker 62 will always be returned tozero stroke position so that the pre-energized spring 66 will always beadditionally energized to the same extent regardless of the length ofthe driving stroke of rocker 62 (and regardl'ess of the amount theadditional energization has been dispatched by the driving stroke ofrocker 62).

As the rocker 62 is driven counterclockwise, during the return movementof rod 64 to the right, Figure 5, it will turn the member 52 therewithto turn the roll 15 to take up the fabric and at the same time to applytension thereto, the degree of tension corresponding to the tension ofspring 66. The fabric is now under tension and as rocker 62 becomesineffective (during the time it is moved clockwise by rod 64) to turnroll 15, the fabric will tend to rotate the roll 15 in clockwisedirection. However such retrograde movement will be stopped by the ring58 which prevents clockwise rotation of roll 15 at any time but permitscounterclockwise rotation of roll 15 for the time that rocker 62 isdriving the roll 15. Continued reciprocation of the rod 64 causes thetake-up to feed and to extending axially from one end of said roll, ahand wheel secured to said shaft, an intermittently active pre-energizedspring, an operative releasable connection between said spring and saidhand Wheel, said spring turning said roll in one direction throughsuccessive arcs of rotation with the power stored in said spring, meansoperatively connected to said hand wheel to prevent retrograde motion ofsaid roll, and means to re-energize said spring during its inactiveperiods, said hand Wheel being adapted to turn said roll in eitherdirection of rotation upon release of said connection.

2. A spring driven take-up for the fabric of a circular knittingmachine, said take-up having a rotatable roll in contact with the fabricto tension and to advance the fabric as it is produced by the machine, atrunnion shaft extending axially from one end of said roll, a hand wheelsecured to said shaft, an oscillatable rocker encircling said shaft, anoperative releasable connection between said rocker and said hand wheel,a pre-energized spring operatively connected to move said rocker in onedirection of its oscillatable movement to turn said roll in onedirection through an arc of rotation with the power stored in saidspring, a ring member encirclingsaid shaft, said ring mem- 8 cylindricalmember being releasably secured to said hand wheel, an oscillatablerocker adjacent said hand wheel and encircling said cylindrical memberfor substantially half its length, a plurality of rollers interposedbetween said rocker and said cylindrical member to turnthe latter memberin one direction when said rocker is turned in the same direction, saidrollers permi'tting'said rocker to turn in the opposite directionwithout moving said cylindrical member, a pre-energized spring connectedto turn said rocker in said same direction to move said roll in said onedirection through an arc of rotation with the power stored in thespring, a ring member encircling the remaining half of said cylindricalmember between said rocker and said roll, said ring member beingnon-rotatably seher being operatively connected to said hand wheel toprevent retrograde movement of said roll, and a reciprocating rodoperatively connected to move said rocker'in the other direction of itsoscillatable movement to re-energize said spring, said hand wheel beingoperative to turn said roll in either direction of rotation upon releaseof said connection. 7

3. A spring driven take-up for the fabric of a circular knittingmachine, said take-up having a rotatable roll in contact with the fabricto tension and to advance the fabric as it is produced by the machine, atrunnion shaft extending axially from one end of said roll, a hand wheelsecured tosaid shaft, an oscillatable rocker encircling said shaft, anoperative releasable connection between said rocker and said hand wheel,a pre-energized spring operatively connected to move said rocker in onedirection of itsloscillatable movements to turn said roll in onedirection through successive arcs of rotation with the power stored insaid spring, a ring member encircling said shaft, said ring member beingoperatively connected to said hand wheel to prevent retrograde movementof said roll, and a reciprocating rod operatively connected to move saidrocker in the other direction of its oscillatable movements tore-energize said spring, said hand wheel being operative to turn saidroll in either direction of rotation upon release of said connection. I

4. A spring driven take-up for the fabric of a circular knittingmachine, said take-up having a rotatable roll in contact with the fabricto tension and to advance the fabric as it is produced by the machine, atrunnion shaft extending axially from one end of said roll, a handwheelsecured to said shaft, a cylindrical member rotatable on said shaftbetween said hand wheel and said roll, said.

cured to a fixed part of the machine, a plurality of rollers interposedbetween said ring member and said cylindricalmember to prevent rotationof the latter member in said opposite direction while permittingrotation'thereof in the said one direction, and a' reciprocating rodconnected to move said rocker in said opposite direction to re-energizesaid spring, said hand wheelbeing operative to turn said roll in eitherdirection of rotation when said cylindrical member is released from saidhand wheel.

5. A fabric take-up including a rotatable roll in contact with thefabric'to tension and advance it, an arcuately oscillatableunidirectional overrunning take-up clutch arranged frictionally to drivesaid roll in its takeup direction when said clutch is turned in thetake-up direction and to release said roll when turned in the oppositedirection, a unidirectional overrunning retaining clutch having onestationary clutch member and arranged frictionally to engage andstationarily to retain said roll whenever the fabric is tensioned bysaid roll and said take-up clutch is turned in its aforementionedopposite direction and to release said roll whenever said take-up clutchisturned in its take-up direction, each of said clutches being capableof frictional engagement at every position thereof, a continuouslyrevolvable eccentric arranged intermittently to turn said take-up clutchthrough small arcuate displacements in its aforementioned oppositedirection and a spring arranged to be loaded by such displacements ofsaid take-up clutch and to tend to turn said take-up clutch in itstake-up direction whenever said eccentric is not turning said take-upclutch in its aforementioned opposite direction.

' References Cited in the file of this patent V UNITED STATES PATENTS I

